Everyday Combat

Throwing shoe after shoe behind us into the hall Zack and I took up temporary residence in the closet looking for the exact pair of shoes we both wanted. We owned too many pairs between us and this was only the downstairs collection. I stood up scowling at the mess as Danzig picked up one of mom's shoes and ran off with it.

Zack scoffed a laugh and I grinned so before mom saw the mess we quickly put everything back so she wouldn't know it was our fault the dog had got one of her court shoes. The pair she insisted she had to wear when she was in court, but never when she went to the office.

We suggested her keeping them in her car or in her office but she just made one of those 'shut up and go do teenager things' faces at us both.

"What are you both looking for?" We heard mom ask as we replaced the last shoe to the rack on mom and dad's side. We both looked round with innocent smiles. Mwahaha, she would never find out we threw her shoes in the hall and the dog got one and went off with it.

"My brand new green and black Vans," Zack answered and mom looked at me for my answer.

"My brand new white Velcro Nikes."

"Okay, one of your Vans is under the sofa and the other, for whatever reason, is in the upstairs closet. Your Nikes are still in their box in your room, in your wardrobe where you put them when we got in last night. Most likely under the pile of jeans I saw in there this morning," she said nodding at us both in turn as she tapped her manicured nails on her mug of coffee. The mug that Zack and I had, as four year olds, both painted 'mommy' onto.

Hmm, Julie Baker + manicure + suit + coiffeured hair + red lipstick = court day...

SHIT THE DOG HAS HER SHOE!

"Thanks mom!" We yelled, already half-way up the stairs to root them out. Good old mom; maybe, we could retrieve the shoe before Danzig buried it in one of his many pot holes in the bit of yard mom and dad allowed him to go in. The rest was cordoned off to stop him messing up moms flower beds.

Kicking at the pile of jeans, I grinned happily to find my shoebox. I sat down, pulled the lid off and pulled out the pristine pair of shoes inside. Once I'd got them on, I turned to look at myself in the mirror. Long hair with lots of layers in pigtails either side of my head; bangs feathered over eyes; big bow clip; lots of eyeliner; bright orange skinny tee with homemade neon-blue block letters somehow squeezing HAHAHAHA YOUR FACE! across it; bright pink skinny jeans; studded belt.

Dude, why the kids at school called me 'Emo' I have no idea. I was far from that, I was just...Faith Baker. The girl who loved skinny jeans, studded belts and rave music I mean, come on. These so called labels were way off or these kids were just bad at dishing them out.

But anyway now having got my shoes on my feet, I stuffed some money in my pocket and headed out of my room and back downstairs to where Zack was waiting with his hand on the door handle. We would have gone out the door straight away but mom - who had now put down her coffee and was on the phone - held her finger up to us to tell us not to go.

I glanced at Zack, and then we glanced at the clock. It was 9.30, so why wasn't she on her way to court to lie or tell the truth, depending who she was representing, for someone? We shrugged and waited anyway, noticing dad had already gone to work since his gun holster wasn't hanging at the end of the banister.

Oh yeah, we've got a lawyer for a mom, policeman for a dad and they've got a musician for a son and an artist for a daughter. Or possibly a DJ if I can't get my artwork famous; shadowing DJ Tiesto or the Chemical Brothers at all the big clubs in Ibiza where the British flocked every summer...I'd just have to gain some musical talent first.

"Dude, Faith, are you with us? Earth calling Faith!" Zack interrupted me and I grinned sheepishly up at him. He just shook his head with a laugh and sank down onto the bottom step of the staircase whilst mom nattered away excitedly to whoever was on the other end of the phone.

"Mom got her shoe back I see," I grinned quietly at him. He sat forward and looked round at mom before sitting back.

"He must have taken pity upon her," Zack said, the both of us looking over to our dog where he was now sat on the rug chewing his dog bone.

I groaned, fed up of having to wait, before pushing myself up off the wall and yanking open the door. "Mom, we're going! Good look in court! See you later, and all that good-"

"No, wait there guys, just another minute!" Mom said and I stopped halfway out the door, biting my lip impatiently for her to get done doing whatever it was she was doing. It obviously wasn't court related or she wouldn't be all excited looking. Unless the woman's ex-husband had backed down last minute and willingly come to a mutual agreement.

Mom might divulge case notes with us.

But then again I might be good at hacking into computers when the time suits me which is usually when Zack and I are grounded and fed up. We never look at the serious stuff though; just the divorce settlements and custody claims and cases of minor driving offences and stuff. We do have some respect you know.

Mom finally came towards us, smiling happily. "Sorry guys, that was Bernice. She called from the hospital to let us know Lucy has had a little boy and everyone is doing fine and well." I smiled softly and so did Zack, the both of us nodding. "I told them we'd go and visit later when I get back from work so be back for 6 guys. We'll grab a take out for dinner tonight."

We nodded and made to leave.

"One other things guys," Mom stopped us once more; we were now both on the porch so we were a little closer to leaving now. Mom pulled from her bag her wallet and pulled out some money which she counted and gave to the both of us. "For doing so well in your first year, since your behaviour doesn't affect your academics, your father and I not only decided to buy you your shoes but also we decided too give you two $50 each. It might not be much but do remember the shoes."

I grinned, stuffing the money with the rest in my pocket and threw my arms around her in a hug. "Thanks mommy."

***

Sitting down on the bench I pulled the lid away from my sushi, opened the chopsticks and split them. The guys had unfortunately brought the Siren's along, and Johnny was plain just not talking to me. Which I wasn't happy about; the stupid ho had it coming if you ask me.

"Johnny, I'm sowee," I pouted. He ignored me. I looped my arms through his, leaning my head upon his shoulder. "Joooh-nnnyyyy!!!"

"For fuck sake Faith what?!" He snapped.

"I'm sorry okay," I mumbled sitting away from him. I wasn't sorry really I just didn't like it when my friends didn't talk to me and I had to say something. Then I grinned and leaned back towards him, cupping my hands over his ear and whispering to him.

For a moment Johnny considered me with a blank expression before grinning. "You do this and I'll forgive you."

I nodded eagerly before grabbing the little green sachet and ripping it open. Then I made a few lines of it out on the lid of the sushi, fully aware that the attention of everybody was on me out of curiosity. I looked up and round for a victim before my eyes landed on Jason; he was always good for a wind up.

I wanted to know how hot this stuff was.

"Jason, do you want the rest of this?" I asked smiling innocently.

"What is it?" He took it anyway as I just lied with a shrug and watched him squeeze the remaining wasabi onto his tongue, swallowing it. But the moment he had he was coughing it all back up whilst we sat around laughing.

"Dude that was wasabi!" Brian laughed hysterically, almost falling from his seat.

"Oops, gotta go!" I yelled, leaping up from the bench and running away with Jason running after me. Fortunately for me I was a fast runner and made it to a tree and up into it's branches way before Jason even caught me. To be honest I'm surprised he wasn't too stoned to do it, though the wasabi might have sobered him up a bit.

Sitting on one branch I looked down with a giggle and waved at Jason. Then daredevil me let myself fall back and hang upside down, which naturally instantly called for my brother and the other guys who all thought I had, or would, fall out. "Faith, get dow,." Zack demanded, as Jimmy reached his hands up - damn him for being so tall - to hook them through my arms and pull me out.

I leaned up though so he couldn't. "No, Jason will kill me."

"Get out of the tree you human glowstick, I'm not gonna kill you because then Zack would kill me," Jason informed me. I let myself hang upside down, chewing my lip and watching them all before grinning and shaking my head. I then sat back up, hooking my hands over the branch and pulled myself back up somehow.

The guys then retreated back to the bench and sat next to their respective girlfriend, all of them taken. Nobody alone. Everyone laughing, everyone joking, everyone talking amicably, everyone doing everything with each other and nobody getting left out.

Because she was sat up a tree.

Getting left out and forgotten.

Like I would at prom...and at graduation...and at their weddings...and then they'll have kids and I'll have...nothing.

I could see it now: the only person who would go to my funeral would be the vicar, and even he probably wouldn't care because it would be cold and raining, and it would just be another sour old spinster who smelt, had lots of cats and was accused being a witch.

Not even my cats would go to my funeral.

Sighing I jumped down out of the tree, stumbling slightly but managing to gain my feet and went back to my seat, grabbed my chopsticks and ate the sushi in front of me. The only acknowledgement I got for rejoining them were their looks as I stumbled from jumping out the tree.

They were all talking about prom now.

"I'm not going," I announced loudly, poking at the lines of wasabi.

Ha, that got their attention.

"Why not?" Matt asked first.

"Because I'm a smelly old spinster lady with lots of cats and frizzy grey hair and warts on her face who is apparently a witch and nobody will go to my funeral because they'll all be happy and married with kids," I grumbled.

"What?" They all retorted and I realised what I said.

"That's code for I'd only be a third wheel, so I'm not going," I mumbled, briefly glaring at Brian.

I didn't want to blame him for this, because I didn't want to fall out with him. I liked it, and everyone else liked it, when we were on our better times like now. But I guess it had to end somewhere and I guess that this was where it was going to end and we would go back to screaming at each other all the time.

With that I climbed up from the bench and stalked away. I heard footsteps behind me but I didn't look, until I felt a gentle grip on my arm yanking me to a stop. I rolled me eyes and looked round to see Zack looking at me. "Where're you going?"

I shrugged, "Somewhere."